Lent.

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2 NIV)

During Lent we take time to reflect on our relationship with God and what that means to us as we approach Easter. Remember what our Lord said about the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37 (paraphrasing), Love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.

At First United Methodist Church here in Maryville, TN, we have several ministries that are focused on “entertaining strangers.” We serve a weekly community meal through the Welcome Table. We have an active Celebrate Recovery ministry, and we support Family Promise, a resource for unhoused families.

We have heard testimonies of people who experienced the presence of God on our campus because our church members allowed God to show God's love through them.

Can we substitute “entertaining strangers” in this passage with “hospitality to neighbors?” How can we work with other members of our faith communities to show hospitality? We have so many opportunities to show hospitality throughout our busy days.

Within your community, do strangers and neighbors feel the presence of God at work—through you? 

Prayer

Lord, give me the opportunity to entertain / show hospitality to strangers, my neighbors.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Owen and Leslie Ragland.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.